Never Shall I forget
by lionesseshuntbetterinpacks
Summary: (Historical AU, takes place during the Holocaust and in the Concentration Camps) Never shall I forget the night where I was separated from my family or the time where I had to shovel dead bodies into the Crematory. Never shall I forget my first night at Bergen-Belson. Never shall I forget the night where I felt truly alone in this world, not knowing what happened to Peeta.
1. Chapter 1

S**o, I just finished my other fanfic. So this time I wanted to write more of a historical AU and we're reading this book NIGHT, in English class, so I thought why not make a Holocaust fanfic? I don't ever recall reading one of those so I thought why not? **

**Warning: This fanfic will have a lot of graphic stuff with having to do with the Holocaust. That includes death and some other scenes. Also, I'm not Jewish, so I may not get all the holidays correct or I might write something offensive towards the Jewish religion/people, I apologize. I'm not trying to write anything that may offend Jewish people, I respect each and every holocaust victim, dead or alive and I though that this could be a fanfic telling it from a survivor's POV.**

**Also, this fanfic is loosely based on 'Night' By Elie Wiesel, and 'Diary of Anne Frank', there will be quotes from Night, and I'll make sure to site them and credit them. 'Diary of Anne Frank', the plot is based on it (only the beginning)**

**The italicized is showing the even already happened, Katniss is just reflecting it or replaying the even in her head. **

_**^^^^^^^Full Summary^^^^ Family is forever, they'll always be there for you. So I thought. I'll never forget the first time I fainted from the lack of food, or the time where we slept in 23 degree weather. Never shall I forget the time where I watched the little girl hang to her death and her legs thrashing around. Never shall I forget the time where I watched my best friends die, or shovel my family into the crematory. Never shall I forget the first night where I felt completely alone in this world. **_

**This chapter is sort of boring, I'm not going to lie but it is a prologue just to give some back ground information, and towards the very end of the chapter is where the story starts.**

***********Important backround info***********

**- Peeta and Katniss are 15**

**- Mr. Everdeen isn't dead**

**- The Everdeen family isn't dirt poor **

* * *

**Katniss : Prologue. **

_My dad sits Prim and myself at our kitchen table inside our three bedroom two bath sized apartment. Him and my mom look nervous and worried. Like something bad is about to happen or has already happened. Mom is as pale as a sheet of paper, similar to the way she looked at her father's funeral. I should have known something was wrong, my parents never call family meetings._

_"Dad, what is this family meeting about?" I ask with power in my voice, I can feel the scowl on my face appear. It's almost like my natural look. My eyebrows creased like I'm mad at something and my nose crunches up like I smell something bad. _

_He doesn't answer. Instead he looks over to my mom who looks as if she had seen a ghost. Her face, pale white. He places his hand on top of hers, a sign of comfort. I look over at Prim who also seems worried, she's only nine years old. Almost a replica of my mom, both with beautiful bleach blonde hair and deep blue eyes. _

_"The rumors of the Germans taking over Netherlands are true," My dad sayings, his voice shaking, him visibly shaking. My dad doesn't dare to make eye contact with any of us. This time, it's my mother who places her hand on top of his. I've heard rumors about the Germans taking over throughout school. I heard it had something to do with the Jews in the country. I know a few months ago, Germany made all the Jewish people register and prove their Jewish. If they were Jewish, we had to wear the Star of David pinned on our clothes. I thought it was cool, showing off my religion in school, being proud to be Jewish. But slowly, one store then another store displayed signs on the front window telling Jews they were not allowed. I thought that was fishy, and the rumors about the Germans killing Jews and capturing them. I add all of this up and know, something is horrifying wrong here. "I had originally planned on going into hiding next month, but with the Germans around, it isn't safe. We leave early tomorrow morning," My dad makes eye contact with me, I'm confused on this._

_"What do you mean 'hiding'?" I ask him._

_"Hiding as in diapered. People will think we have moved. Let them think that. Right now, I need you and Prim to pack your belongings. Only take what you can carry," My father stands up from his chair and starts pacing along in the kitchen. He goes in circles so many times, I'm afraid he will burn a hole somehow through the floor._

_I take Prim's hand and lead her to wear our bedrooms are conjoined by a jack-and-jill bathroom. I make sure to pack my red, leather diary book that I received for my birthday last month. I pack many clothes and that's all I can carry._

_Prim and I lay in her bed while I read Prim a story that we've been reading together, when my mother knocks on the door. "May I come in?" She asks and I nod my head at her. She walks to Prim's bed and takes a seat at the edge. She looks rather beautiful for her late thirties, thick blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, it's almost a wonder why she didn't marry rich. Instead she chose a poorer man, who owns a bookstore. A merchant's son. "Another family and man are also going to be in hiding. The family has a boy Katniss' age too," My mom chirps, she tries to sound cheerful. Like this situation isn't bad, like it's something we do every year, my mom eagerly awaits for me to enthusiastically to ask 'who', but I don't and she takes it upon herself to say who it is. "The family is the Mellarks. Mrs. Mellark said that you and Peeta have classes together, Katniss," My mother seems happy that I may finally have a friend. I do have one friend, Madge, who's dad helps my father out tremendously paying bills, or working here for free when he needs the extra hands. Madge's parents, the Underseas are both very wealthy nobles and don't need the extra money to make end's meet._

_Dad also mentions the family that will be our caretaker will be the Underseas, they know the risk of assisting a Jewish family while they're in hiding is a criminal act and is punished by death, the family still wanted to help us out. _

* * *

_Like my dad said earlier, we were going to wake up early and go into hiding. We all asked him questions, like 'where are we hiding?' or 'how long will this be?' but he never answers any of them, he keeps walking with a determined look on his face. Instead, he takes us to the building he owns, where his work is._

_Prim and I don't question him since he isn't answering us. Before he unlocks the door, he cautiously looks around for any suspicious people. After the door unlocks, Dad rushes all of us inside, still cautiously looking around, completely aware of his surroundings and the danger they could possibly hold._

_"Follow me," Dad demands, a little intensity added to his voice and urgency._

_Prim and I do as we are told, Dad leads up the stairs, I've never been up the stairs of our building before, so I can't help but to look around, at the beautifully structured building, it makes me wonder how on earth Dad could ever afford this? At the end of the stairs, it's a dead end. I can feel the confused look on my face appear as well as see the puzzled look Prim has plastered on her face, until Dad moves aside bookshelf and opens a door revealing a small loft._

_"This is wear we will be staying," Dad says, setting his stuff down on a kitchen table that is already in place, "Katniss, Prim, your room is to the left, settle in quickly, I'm going to fetch the Mellarks before sunrise, they're expecting me to arrive soon," And Dad leaves, making sure to close the door and the bookshelf is back in it's place._

_I follow my instructions on settling in, I make sure to place my things on the bigger bed that Prim and I will probably share. It's a nice loft, two bedrooms one bath, even a nice little kitchen and living space. It would be the perfect house, you know, for a family of three, not four nine people._

_"Katniss," Prim's small, quiet voice asks me, "Do you think we'll be okay here? That the Nazi's won't find us?" Instead of Prim's normal ocean blue eyes, fulled with laughter and innocence. They're filled with worry and scared, I've never seen her like this before._

_"They won't, I mean you and I had no clue that this loft was here, now did we?" I ask her and she offers a small smile back at me._

_I don't have the heart to tell her that I don't think we'll be okay. _

* * *

_It isn't long before Dad arrives back with the Mellark family and this other man named Haymitch. All five of the Mellarks had similar traits: they all had signature blonde hair and blue eyes, but each one differed personalities. All of them have one small bag of their belongings. I watch as Dad shows them around our new 'home', I'm not to sure how I feel about this 'home', it's awfully small._

_"Will, Rye, and Peeta, you'll be sharing a room with my two daughters, and Haymitch, you'll be sleeping on the couch," My dad announces, Haymitch grumbles something I can't understand. Haymitch has a peculiar smell to him, almost an alcoholic smell. I'm surprised he's managed to keep himself in such a drunken form, especially how expensive liquor is now with War ragging on all over the world._

_Dad has Prim and I lead the Mellark boys to the room we'll be sharing with them, it's just a quick walk from the living room. I hear behind me Will and Rye cracking a few jokes and laughing at each other while Peeta keeps silent._

_The room all five of us has to share is no where near big enough for comfort. The room has two queen sized beds and two small dressers and a oil lamp, but I doubt we'll be allowed to use that because oil has become so expensive._

_"Rye and I will share the bed," Will announces proudly, "Oh and Peeta, you can sleep on the floor," He quickly adds. The floor is some old wood, probably splinters sticking up from it if you're not careful about where you step._

_"You'll be lucky if we offer you a blanket or even a pillow," Rye adds before sharing more laughter with his brother. Both Rye and Will place their backpacks on their bed claiming their spot._

_Peeta doesn't argue with them about sleeping on the floor. Peeta grumbles something, but I can't make out what he said. I wonder if Rye and Will boss him around a lot at home, because he doesn't even bother standing up for himself, it's like once his brothers make a decision, he has to go with it weather he likes it or not._

* * *

_Father keeps assuring all of us as long as the Nazi's don't find us, we'll be safe. At first I believed that, but now, I'm not sure what to believe. Sometimes in the middle of the night, Father will allow us all downstairs and listen to radio for the news, but it's all the same. The Nazi's taken over and no one is sure about the American's coming and pushing Germany out. No one says it, but we all know if the American's don't come soon, it won't mean good._

_The rules are simple, but yet there's a lot of them. We have to keep walking to a minimal and if we do walk, we must keep socks on. There is no flushing the toilet during the day in fear there may be customers downstairs, no wasting food, keep your voices down to a whisper. And keep the window shut. It's not really a window, just a rectangle built into the wall with glass covering it. So no one can see in, Mrs. Mellark sewed curtains out of old rags to cover it up allowing almost no sunlight in._

_Mr. Undersea tries to bring liquor to fulfill the high demand from Haymitch, even though the liquor prices are through the roof. The only person I haven't grown tiered of listening to is Haymitch. He tells all of the kids and I stories from when he was younger, how he watched out for his younger brother because his Mom was killed and his father worked several jobs to make ends meet._

_Haymitch tells me when it's just him and me playing cards to start to talk to Peeta, that he has some crush on me. I pay no attention to him, knowing it can't possibly be true. Peeta is a handsome teenager, his dreamy blue eyes and the way his blonde hair is curled up behind his ears. I don't have a crush on him, but I will admit he is cute. I'm sure he has the whole population of teenage girls drooling over him. But in this situation, two people who aren't married can't have feelings for each other, that's too scary._

_But it isn't until about a year of the ten of us went into hiding where Peeta and I have a truly alone conversation, it was early one morning and everyone still has not awaken from their slumber. I sat on a stool gazing out the window and watching people carry on with their normal lives. I didn't realize that Peeta snuck up behind me and took a seat down next to me. At first, we didn't speak, I wasn't sure what to say. But Peeta was the one who broke the ice._

_"Orange is my favorite color you know," Peeta brings up. I look over at him and he's looking out the window, completely memorized from the sunrise._

_"Dark orange?" I exclaim, almost in disgust, how the color looks pretty in crayon, but once you draw with it, it's hideous. _

_Instead of fighting back, firing back an answer, Peeta nervously laughs, "No, orange like the sunset."_

_"Oh," I say, not sure what else to say. Peeta and I sit awkwardly next to each other before he speaks again._

_"I haven't seen a sunrise for a year," Peeta comments. Which is true, we haven't even been outside in over a year to breathe in fresh air, we've been stuck in here with nothing to do._

_"When do you think it'll be safe?" I ask. He knows what I mean about it being 'safe', where Germany isn't in control anymore, where their dictatorship and empire will fall._

_"I don't know, it's been so long since we've been in here with everyone," He replies, he knows nothing he says will make me feel any better so why not just give me the truth?_

_Every morning, Peeta and I get up out of bed together to watch the sunrise, it's really the only thing we have to look forward too. That or the news Mr. Undersea will say it's safe to come out of hiding. Sometimes, we're able to sneak a little extra food from the kitchen to eat while enjoying the sunset, normally I'd feel guilty about stealing food, but since there is already so little to go around it doesn't bother me as much. On one of the mornings, I don't know where it came from, but I looked over at Peeta and he looked over at me and before I knew it he was leaning in, I wasn't sure for what at the time but once his lips brushed against mine, I realized what he was doing._

_"Sorry," He mumbles, "I really shouldn't have done that."_

_I've never kissed a boy, or even had a crush on one of them, but when Peeta kissed me, it sort of felt right in some weird twisted way. "No, it was fine. Really it was," I tell, his puzzled face makes me believe he doesn't believe me. So, I peck his lips quickly, not sure on how long to leave my lips lingering there. After I pull away and look into his eyes and face, I see his beautiful blue eyes shinning brightly like how the sun reflects off of a lake._

_Kissing soon becomes a regular thing between Peeta and I when there is no one around his, so normally we only share kisses in the mornings when everyone else is still asleep. Mr. Undersea warns us the German Nazi's have taken down tighter and more strict security rules but also brings us the good news that the Americans have allied with the British and the French which means that hopefully they'll pull together a stronger army pushing the Germans out of Amsterdam._

* * *

_I think Peeta's dad and my dad knows that something is going on between Peeta and I, the way how we always make sure we head to bed at the same time or how we always sit next to each other during the meals, if Peeta's mom ever found out, she would do everything in her power to make sure I didn't spend anytime with him._

_In the middle of August, on a warm night, all ten of us were gathered around the table playing a game of spoons quietly until we heard a window shatter, no one dared to move a muscle, I could hardly hear anyone breathe, fearing if someone heard even the slightest sound, we would all be discovered and be slaughtered right on the spot._

_"Make sure the kids are hidden, I'll be right back," My dad whispers, no one questions him. Mom ushers all five children into our room, telling us to hide where ever we can. Of course, Peeta and I hide together in a corner of the room. Our bodies pressed together tightly as we try not to take up a lot of space. I think Peeta's older brothers hid under the bed while Prim was the only one who could fit in the corner behind the bookshelf that Mr. Undersea built us a few months back._

_It isn't for at least thirty minutes before we hear my father's voice, no one signals us that it's safe to come out from our hiding places, so instead, we do it ourselves._

_The parents and Haymitch are all gathered around in a circle standing up. My mother has her arms tightly wrapped around my father, as if she is never letting go. "When I went down there, I saw a guy and yelled for him to leave and he just left," My father spits out._

_"It's weird how he just left, and didn't put up a fight," Mr. Mellark comments while rubbing his chin._

_My father shakes his head, "I don't think we have anything to worry about," What would have had to worry about?_

* * *

_On August 4, two days after the break in, Mr. Undersea managed to find us eggs and bacon, food which is extremely rare or too expensive to buy. He even managed to find Haymitch some alcohol. It's a Sunday so the store is closed and no one is inside and we can make a little more noise than normal._

_Peeta and I were sitting on the couch in the living room playing a game of War with the playing cards, Prim was playing with one of Madge's old dolls that she gave to Prim and the two older Mellark brothers were playing with some jigsaw puzzle. When we heard a bang against the outside wall. Not the wall that faces the outside, but the one which faces the hallway that leads to this secret apartment. Father doesn't respond to the knock, instead he ignores it. But that was a big mistake he made._

_"HANDS IN THE AIR!" A Nazi soldier yelled, Peeta and I and everyone else carefully obeyed the Nazi who had a gun pointed at Mrs. Mellark. More Nazi's arrived for backup help. The Nazis rounded up everyone inside, Prim, My parents, Mr. Mellark, Mrs. Mellark, Haymitch, Rye, Will, Peeta and I. With guns pointed at our backs, they walked us outside into broad daylight where the whole Amsterdam could see us being captured and look like a fool._

_The Nazi's blind folded us and placed us into two cars, I was in a car with Haymitch, Peeta, Prim, and Will while the others were in another car. I could feel Prim slightly tremble beside me, I can't really do anything to comfort her, but I hope her knowing me stroking her hand ever so slightly means a sign of comfort._

_I'm not sure where they are taking us, but where ever they are, I hope it's not going to be long and torturous. I have no clue what Hitler and his soldiers of Nazis have planned for us. _

* * *

"There are a total of 203 of you Jews right here, and if anyone tries to escape we'll know and you'll be shot on the spot," An elder Nazi yelled, I don' know where we are, it's dark outside and it seems like were maybe at a train station. All ten of us, stay close together, praying for no separation between us. "There are four cattle carts, and you all need to fit in them." Only seconds after the Nazi finished his speech, gun shots rang aloud in the back round.

People scrambled into the cattle carts, in fear that maybe a stray bullet would hit them.

Luck must have been on our side because all ten of us, Haymitch, Rye, Will, Prim, Mr. Mellark, Mrs. Mellark, my parents, Peeta and I all managed to make it into the same cattle cart.

The cattle carts are small, we have 31 people in our cart and there is no elbow room. The lone window in the cart strays towards the back and allows minimal light inside. The floors and sides were constructed out of wood from trees that must be at least twenty years old with some of the planks starting to rot.

I don't know how long we've been traveling on this train, but we had to have been traveling for at least two days now. Not once have we've been granted any sort of food or water and with every one having an empty stomach, everyone's mood is more grouchier.

In order to sit down, everyone must tuck their knees into their chest to make room. Prim is close to tears the whole time, I try to calm her down, to tell her everything will work out in the end, but there's a feeling in my gut that isn't good.

"How long have we been traveling, Peeta?" I ask, my voice is weak from no energy, in the past two days, I've only slept two hours.

"I don't know, but if it's much longer we will all die," Peeta's voice doesn't have sorrow in it, perhaps he wants to die instead of enduring any kind of suffering or torture.

* * *

In the middle of the next night, the train comes to a violent stop. The wheels screeching along the train tracks. At first, no one is sure on what to do, so we all stare at each other in puzzelment.

The narrow doors to the wooden cattle carts open, when we take a step outside the carts, the smell of burning flesh overtakes the fresh air the outdoors is supposed to have. There's a welcoming sign:

_**Welcome to **_**_Auschwitz_**

That's what the sign says, it can't be a good place, especially with the stench lingering around in the air. I grasp Peeta's hand and enclose it with mine, we've never really held hands in public or really held hands in general, but he gives my hand a warm squeeze.

Auschwitz, that's the name of the place we've been taken too. There are fences scattered around the entrance and the perimeter, with barbed wire covering every inch of the fence. There are patrol towers with guards standing upon them with their guns ready to fire at anyone. There must be hundreds of small cabins a little further into the distance, how many people are already here?

"I NEED EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU TO TAKE ALL YOUR CLOTHES OFF NOW, DISOBEY AND PAY THE CONSEQUENCE!" A Nazi solider yelled, his voice sounding older instead of young like many of the voices do.

I hesitate to take my clothes off, the thought of everyone seeing me bare naked is embarrassing. I look around and see everyone slowly and hesitantly stripping their clothes off. It's late at night with bare lighting, hopefully nothing will be shown.

My clothes are off, I immediately cover my boobs with my arms, I wish I had a third and fourth arm to cover my butt and front side of me. I look around and see everyone naked, although it is dark outside with bare lighting, somehow I can suddenly see everything a lot clearer now.

"Men 18 years and older go to the left and Women and kids go to the right," A Nazi announces, he has blonde hair and blue eyes. Not the kind of welcoming blue eyes like Peeta has, but harsh and murderous blue eyes.

No one disobeys, I look over at my father, who has already started to walk towards the left side, he looks over back at me, "It'll be okay, I promise," He mouths to me. He turns his head straight forward once he suspects a Nazi is staring him down.

I make sure to catch up to my mother and Prim. Prim is absolutely terrified, she's trying not to cry a few tears have escaped onto her cheeks and she tries to secretly brush them away so no Nazi will see her 'weak'. Mom wraps her arms around Prim and I, Peeta and his older brothers are next to us along with their mother. Mrs. Mellark has no intentions on keeping her children at ease, instead she's covering her self up.

"Girl, you need to come this way," A Nazi growls, I didn't know who he was talking to at first, until I see him grab Prim by the arm and yank her towards him. "You need to go with the younger children," The soldier has an evil smile creeping on his face.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE HER!" I interfere, "SHE'S YOUNG, YOU SAID YOUNG CHILDREN TO THE RIGHT!"

"That's exactly why, she needs to shower first, we wouldn't want her dirty for when she's returned back to you soon," The Nazi laughs after he says 'shower', I have no clue what he means by that.

"Prim just go with him," I yell towards her direction as the Nazi drags her along with him. "Everything will be alright!"

It wont' be, perhaps this was my last time seeing her? But I can't let that happen.

**Okay, this chapter was boring, I know. But please at least read the next chapter before you decide to not continue to read this. I might also change the rating to M from T, b/c of the background of the holocaust. I would really appreciate feedback if you can, even if your review is on guest, please let me know what you think oh and if you want to, favorite or follow ;) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! Thank you for the reviews/favorites/follows, they always make my day a thousand times better (: If you have any trouble visualizing concentration camps, just look it up on google images because those pictures perfectly capture the true dark and horror I'm trying too. I know this chapter is short, very short, but don't worry the chapters will soon become longer, I don't want to have too much information in one chapter. **

**Katniss**

I watch in horror as a Nazi escorts Prim away from the main crowd and joining her with many younger kids who have also recently been separated from their parents as well. Her nude body slowly becomes a blur as she walks further away into the night. Mom had dropped her arm that she once had around me and just started to walk automatically, almost like a robot. I wonder how it's going for Mr. Mellark, Haymitch, and my dad right now, wonder if they're being forced to walk or doing whatever they please.

I look up into the night sky, in hopes of finding a shooting star, something to wish on and give me hope that this place isn't as bad as I think it is. I crane my head so it's facing upwards, and instead of finding shooting stars or stars in general, I find dense fog or smoke covering the night sky in layers. I tear my eyes away from the sky and look down at the ground in anger. Peeta must notice that I'm suddenly upset because he places a hand on the upper part of my back, he's such a gentleman, placing a hand on the upper part of my back instead of my lower back so I won't feel uncomfortable with him having an arm there knowing I'm naked. I can't bring myself to look up at him, embarrassed by my nude form, but also his nude form.

I grab his free hand and continue holding hands, my mother is ahead of us and so is Peeta's brothers and Mrs. Mellark. They all look stunned on what is currently happening, especially Mrs. Mellark, I bet she probably believes this is a horrible nightmare she has yet to wake up from. There are hundreds of other women and older children walking, no one knows where we're walking but we keep going afraid to upset a Nazi soldier for no cause. The trail we're on is rough on our bare feet, but no one dares to complain afraid for what would happen if we do.

We must have been walking all night, the other place we were at before, Auschwitz, is far behind us. Peeta and I keep our hands linked together the whole time, no one can separate us, especially now when we have no clue where we are going, we're protecting each other.

Mom is still in front of us and so is Peeta's family, the rising sun in the sky makes it easier for us to see everyone who is making the same march to where ever we are going. Whenever a guard got tiered of walking along side with us, he would find a horse to ride and do the walking for him, or find a new officer to take his place. But whenever we became tiered or exaughsted, all we could do is drop to the ground or keep pushing through.

The scenery around the trail is weird, sometimes there are trees for a while then suddenly fields of nothing with the stench of death. "Peeta, where are we going?" I ask him, worriedly I look around as if I feel like danger is following me.

For the first time since I've known Peeta, who is good with words, is speechless. He rubs a free hand across his face, "I really don't know," He whispers back to me. I release a deep breath I didn't know I was holding. For all we know, this could be our last few breaths. Not that I expected him to know where we are headed, it somehow adds worry to me that Peeta has no clue where our destination is.

* * *

It must be mid-afternoon before we're finally allowed to stop walking, several people have dropped to the ground, painfully and slowly dying from dehydration, which only adds to the growing list of questions: will I be one of the next ones to die?

I heard one of the Nazi's say that we marched over eleven miles since last night alone, not including the long train ride it took to get here.

"Katniss, look, there are train tracks," Peeta points out pointing towards the train tracks. The tracks are rusted and look like it has been retired from having trains run along it long ago.

Gun shots suddenly fired in the air, people abruptly stopped, afraid to continue on in case they're walking into the gun firer, "RUN," A guard demands, "RUN OR WE'LL SHOOT YOU ON THE SPOT!"

No one hesitates to begin running automatically, I squeeze Peeta's hand so hard, I swear he must be loosing circulation in it and need a replacement. As a girl, running is hard with no support for our breasts, it pretty much adds pain.

Everyone around us is sprinting like a field of thoroughbred race horses sprinting towards home in the Kentucky Derby. Several gun shots are fired, my guess is to keep everyone running and in their place so no mutiny occurred.

"Peeta," I say breathlessly, "Where's my mother? Where did she go?" I ask him frantically. One moment she's in front of me, the next she isn't. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Mrs. Mellark or Peeta's brother in a while. A million and one thoughts race through my head, most of them, not turning out so well: she got shot, mom tripped and was stomped on to death by hundreds of other human beings.

"Katniss, we need to keep going, we'll find everyone when we stop," Peeta's breathless like I am, but that doesn't stop him from responding back to me.

The train tracks go on for miles and miles, we've never once had a break from running the pace has completely slowed down from when it first started, but having a breather would be nice. It's not until the sun starts to set is where we see barbed wire and fencing slowly starting to wrap around us, enclosing us.

_Bergen-Belson _

That's what it read on the sign, I'm not sure what it means. Maybe another place like Auschwitz. The people running in front of us have slowed down to a comfortable pace, at a walk. I can't hear much over the sounds people are making; gasping for breath, trying to catch their breath. I release my hand from Peeta's grasp and hold my stomach tight, which is now cramping from the lack of food that is in my system right now. I feel like I could almost pass out like some other people have already.

There are long, logged buildings and some tents that run along side the barbed wire. There are watch towers almost every three hundred yards with lights constantly circling the premises. In the middle is a much larger building that stands taller with a chimney, smoke pouring out then disappearing into the sky. The smell here, is even worse than Auschwitz, it's more evident, more burning flesh smelling.

In the distance there are hundreds of people working, shoveling dirt for whatever reason, the closer we get to Bergen-Belson and towards the buildings, the worse the smell becomes. I start to gag just from the smell, Peeta glances over at me sympathetically, having enough respect to look at me straight in the eyes and no where else because of my nude figure. He knows the smell is getting to me, because he wears a disgusted look on his face as well.

Suddenly, everyone comes to an immediate halt. No one moves, more guards start to circle around us, completely enclosing us allowing no one to escape. Peeta grabs my hand for comfort, not knowing what else to do, I squeeze it, hopefully sending a comforting message of some type.

"When are we going to get food?" A women shouts out, I scan around looking for the brave women to do so, but no such luck I have, "We've been on the move for so long," She doesn't have chance to finish her sentence before she is permanently silenced by a bullet fired by a Nazi. There are many gasps in the crowd and even some cries. But many smarter people, like Peeta and I, stay silenced knowing if we don't we possibly could be permanently silenced.

An elder man, probably early seventies even, spoke up, "You'll be fed in about an hour, after you go through security procedure. Each day you get a cup of soup with a bread ration and black coffee, and water. Anyone who tries to steal food will suffer sever consequences. Now follow us to the main building," We're motioned to follow him and that's what we do.

On our way the building we're being lead to, we receive many stares from already captive _prisoners_? I know we're not being stared at because our nude forms, there are several other people walking around nude or very minimal articles of clothing to not be considered nude. On one woman, probably only two years older than me, you can see every bone in her body, she's almost skeleton like.

"Form four lines, single file," A Nazi demands while riding a bay horse with a white blaze and white socks on the back left leg and the front right leg.

Women and teenagers quickly form four lines, there are hundreds of us. I grasp onto Peeta's hand, refusing to let go until the day I die. Many women try to rip us apart, I'm not sure if it's because they became separated from their loved one or they are frantically trying to find a spot in line before they are shot and killed.

The line moves slowly, I don't even want to imagine what's happening inside there. So far, I've heard no screams, so maybe it's not death. Maybe it's something happy, like letting us leave. But then again, if they were letting us leave from this dreadful place, I wouldn't have seen many living skeletons a few hours ago directly upon our arrival.

"Next," I hear voices up ahead.

"Next," Another voice says, and instead of being it male and deep, this time it was a female. I wonder what she's doing here, working here as a female, I'm sort of surprised the Germans would want women witnessing all of this, or anyone for that matter.

When it's my turn, the lady forces me to let go of Peeta's hand, even though he is three feet away from me, I miss his touch, and holding his hand tightly knowing he was there.

The women was middle aged, probably late forties, she wears thin glasses and blonde hair, although I see traces of gray in her hair as well. She holds a needle used for sewing up to a fire.

"What is that for?" I ask her, instead of receiving an answer, she looks up with me, a disgusted look plastered across her face. She opens her mouth to say something and her teeth are rotten yellow and are anything but straight looking. Luckily for me, I was like my dad and was blessed with naturally straight teeth.

The lady sticks a needle in my forearm, I wince at the pain, and even allow a few tears to escape, the pain lasts for several minutes as she engraves something into my skin, after the removes the needle, a blood red towel is placed where my mark is and presses down on it.

"Next," She says not bothering to dismiss me. I move along and a new lady fills my place.

I look down at what she engraved, _A-7062, _must be a code name. Nazis keep rushing us along, to hop into the next line, I managed to somehow wait a few minutes for Peeta to be finished with his engraving.

As soon as I am approached by him, I throw my arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Peeta returns my hug by hugging me back even tighter. We release each other after a few minutes and slowly walk to where we're being ushered to next.

What happened there, is something I wasn't prepared for.

I close my eyes in absolute terrible hatred and fear and horror mixed into one emotion, my head is now shaved. And I now look like a man. Instead of throwing my hair up into a pony tail or into a french or dutch braid, my hair is stubbly on top. I refuse to let tears fall after this dumb thing about shaving my head, after all, all they want me to be is broken. And if I am to be broken, I am to be whole instead.

"You look beautiful, don't worry," Peeta whispers into my ear as he wraps his arms around me from behind, I look up and also notice his blonde locks of hair are also now gone like my brown hair is.

Everyone now looks the same: You can almost no longer tell who is a boy and who is a girl, everyone looks the same with the head shaved and a tattoo scarred along their right forearm.

"LISTEN UP!" A Nazi yells from above, standing on a balcony type thing hanging off from a building, "I NEED WOMEN TO THE RIGHT AND THE MALE KIDS AND TEENAGERS TO THE LEFT. ANY MISCONDUCT BEHAVIOR IS PUNISHABLE BY TORTURE OR DEATH."

It only takes a matter of seconds to realize that Peeta and I are going to be separated. Peeta pulls me aside, trying to be covered from any kinds of guards or Nazis, Peeta places his two hands on my cheeks, I didn't realize that I was crying until he wipes away my tears that are now being shed, "Listen to me Katniss," his voice his a little demand in it and mostly concern, "We'll be alright, we'll both be alright, I promise you that. We'll see each other soon, and if not, then we'll see each other later," I nod my head, the tears coming faster and louder, he kisses my tears and then we share a passionate kiss, "I love you Katniss, so much," He says before continues on.

"I love you too, Peeta," He probably can't hear me, too much noise and talking going on. But I can't help but notice the freckle on his right butt cheek.

**I know this is short, but I feel like if I have too much information, it'll get really boring. But anyways, this story will follow Peeta and his POV of his time at a concentration camp as well as Katniss's time. Please review even if it is on guest. I'll try my very best to update Wendseday. I'm leaving for Texas on Thursday because I have a showcase and won't be able to update there. But I love all of yall who've read this and everything else. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Katniss**

We're handed cloth just long enough to cover our butts and just high enough to cover our breasts. I wouldn't dare to call these things clothes because they're not, their used rags that someone threw away.

Like the Nazi promised, we're fed bread and soup, it's only a slice of bread and it tastes bland. The soup is practically water, not even a handful of noodles are in there and no chicken is seen. As soon as I finish my food ration, I feel my stomach growl, wanting more food. Not even close to fully satisfied. I wrap my arms around my torso in hopes of covering up the embarrassing sounds my stomach is making.

I can't help but to keep staring down at the tattoo that is placed on my forearm:

_A_-7062

I can only assume that is how I will be identified as, what other way is there? A way to keep track of the dead people, like dog tags?

A Nazi guard demands silence, his voice is loud and clear, confident in himself and maybe even a hint of arrogance in it as well. "You each are assigned a bed, tomorrow will be a selection day. I suggest everyone receives a well rested night," The Nazi dismisses us and our 'leader', an older female Jew, her eyes are a dark brown color and she has blonde hair. Her facial expressions seem to be showing us she isn't afraid to kill. That it would be her pleasure to slice our necks.

No one speaks on our way to our new cabins, the only noise to be heard was the breaths people are taking and an occasional growling stomach.

We're lead along a dirt path to a line of the log buildings we saw on our march here to Bergen Belsen, the beds aren't even beds, it's pure wood. No blankets and no pillows. The bed frame is barely large enough to fit one person. Everyone is confined uncomfortable close to one another and if there was a disease out break, everyone will start to drop quickly.

That night is a full moon, the air is filled with light snores, people moaning in their sleep, I think I even hear a few women crying. If someone wants to cry, now is the time to do it, not in front of the Nazi's who will make you pay for it.

I can't sleep, it might be because of the 'bed' and how uncomfortable it is. I can't help but to imagine where Peeta is right now, if he's safe and alive or not... Even though the bed is small, it still feels empty, over these past few years hiding out in our secret apartment, I've shared a bed with Prim and now I have no one to share it with, to snuggle up against to share our body heat.

The wake up call is loud, our 'leader' makes sure everyone is up and ready once the alarm goes off from the camp, she demands everyone to clean up, we want to look our absolute best for selection day, and to find our breakfast, which is again only soup, a slice of bread, black coffee and maybe even a small glass of water.

No one obeys our leader, there isn't a place to clean ourselves up at. I carefully eye everyone in front of me as they receive their food rations. Everyone looks almost the same, their hair is all shaved off and their numbers are engraved in their forearm as their way to identify us.

I don't talk to anyone much, I'm not sure who to trust, because right now, one of the few people I can trust is Peeta. Peeta. He's all that's been occupying my thoughts lately.

No one was sure what to do as everyone anxiously awaits the 'selection'. I've heard whispers from women who have been imprisoned longer and according to them that you don't want to be selected, that being selected is being sent away where no one knows where too. I've also heard that being selected is an honor, that you'll be shipped away to a new camp. Either way, I'm nervous.

Everyone women is lined up, no specific order, we're just all lined up in a straight line of ten by fours before starting a new one. There must be hundreds of Nazi guards, each one keeping a close and strict eye on looking over at us. Most of the Nazis also have a dog along side of them, some of the dogs are a docile temperament and some are barking at any little movement and showing off their canine teeth.

I'm standing next to a taller individual female, by whats left of her hair, I believe she is brunette like I am. Her look from the side is pure determination, determined not to let anything happen to herself, after all, it is survival of the fittest around here. Only the fit survive. Take care of yourself first than maybe if you're a nice person, lend a helping hand to others. You probably won't make it far without the help of other people. That is what everyone else says at least.

The closer the guards come, the deeper breaths I take. The more relaxed I try to sound, the more nervous I do sound. The Nazi has a whip in his left hand, he pushes several people aside, making sure they know they have been 'selected', no one knows if this is a good or bad thing to be selected right now, I've heard people say you want to be selected, yet several other people have said you don't want to be.

When the Nazi approaches me, he looks at me, his blue eyes beating down on me. I suck in. Chest up, shoulders back. I try to look as confident in myself as possible. He slides his whip all over my body, "Stay," The Nazi says after a careful examination. I was either assigned my death sentence or I have been saved.

He walks over to the girl that is standing beside me, the confident one. "Stay," The Nazi says without much inspection. If she's staying, hopefully this must be the better choice by not being selected.

"Everyone selected, follow the commander to your right, as for everyone else, assume your daily chores," The Nazi says sternly, with urgency in his voice.

The selected prisoners nervously walk to where the Commander is, some don't walk, they stand there with a blank stare in their eyes. At that point, it's almost like they're already dead, maybe the could see into the future? The others, who weren't selected, wondered what would happen to their friends or even famil who were selected. Would they ever see them again?

"If you're not sure of your chores, go to the labor, you'll find work there," Another Nazi leader says, his voice almost chuckles as if this is some sort of game and we're his game pieces, but the plot twist is, we're not playing a game he is actually screwing around with out life.

I'm not sure where the labor part of the camp, so I decide to follow the women who was standing next to me during the selection. She walks briskly, like she isn't starving and has an abundance amount of energy to give off.

"You don't know where you're going, do you?" She asks me when she realizes I am following her. She turns around and sighs, "I'm Johanna Mason," She introduces herself.

"Katniss Everdeen," I reach my hand out for her to shake, but she denies it.

"I know, I saw you say goodbye to you're little boyfriend," I take that as a compliment, before she comment, "It made me want to throw up the little food I already have in my stomach," She snaps. I flinch at the harsh comment. "Follow me to labor camp, it's the worst chore there is."

I don't want to know what 'labor camp' is, but I continue to follow her anyway.

I find it hard to keep with Johanna, she walks brisk to her destination and no one stands in her way. I struggle to keep up with her, but manage the best I can. When we get to the labor camp area, there are hundreds of women shoveling dirt, several even collapse from exhaustion.

"Grab a shovel, and dig a hole. If you're not digging a hole, or collapse, you'll be shot immediately," She warns before walking off into the distance to begin her shoveling.

* * *

This is our routine for the next several weeks, or months, I lost track of time long ago. We are woken up to a loud wake up call, sometimes even gunshots are our wake up calls, we're fed our small portions of food then work in a laboring area digging holes, if we're lucky we can even shower for a few minutes.

I swear the food portions become smaller and smaller, it isn't long before I can count my ribs because they're protruding from my skin.

* * *

**Peeta**

I don't dare looking back at Katniss as I'm walking away from her, knowing if I dared to look back I'll cry and that isn't an emotion I can afford to be showing right now in front of these intimidating looking and well built males.

I find it almost weird that all of us are naked, it's awkward.

The Nazi's shaved our hair, well what hair we had, to almost nothing. I bet no one could tell I'm originally blonde.

The first night, in the male wing of Bergen-Belsen, was full of incomplete thoughts, most of them about Katniss. In the past two years, I've fallen asleep hearing Katniss's even breaths, knowing that she was safe and sound. And right now, all I know is that she could be dead, laying in her pool of blood. But I can't think like that.

Beds that were provided are nothing but beds, they're a solid wood carved into the shape of a bed. No blanket or pillow is provided, the only thing close to a pillow we have is the body heat of each other. Practically the whole night, I can hear my stomach rumble, having nothing to satisfy it, all I can do is wrap my arms tightly around my torso.

As soon as I fall asleep, it's almost like the wake up call was issued. None of us yet still have any type of clothing on.

"It's selection day," I hear several men say, they're skin and bones, so much you can use on hand and wrap it around their thigh, they have clothes on themselves.

I don't have a chance to ask what the selection meant before we're ordered to line up, single file.

"Chins up, and keep your shoulders back," A young boy points out to me, actually, he can't be young, he looks almost my age, if not younger. I take his advice and do as he said.

The Nazi soldiers walk around us to intimidate us, a whip clutched in their hand, one approaches me. I suck in a deep breath and tuck my shoulders back. He slides his whip around my face, I try not to flinch away which would only show weakness, "You sir, are selected," He says in a greedy voice, knowing that he doesn't care a single bit about my life.

**Short, I know. I'm not sure if I'm going to make really long chapters and only update once a week or shorter chapters and update several times a week, what do you think? **


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next chapter, don't forget to review ;) , it always makes me smile when I receive an email from a review and I could really use the smiles right now. **

**Katniss**

I can't go on. I can't go on, I just can't. I can't continue on with my days like this. I can't live the rest of my life like this. I can't do it, I just can't go on and do this.

The mid afternoon sun beats down onto my olive colored skin, if I was a lot paler, I would for sure have several severe sunburns from working outside practically all day in a forced labor camp. This is always the time of day where the most women faint, with little water in our system, many die from dehydration. Or just collapse. But if you collapse, the guards will shoot you on the spot, 'why feed someone who is useless?' is what one guard would always say. The way he said it made me want to slit his through, and watch him painfully and slowly die; the laughter in his voice made our lives seem like a joke, like he couldn't care less about us dying or living as long as he received his paycheck. That's all this is to the guards, this is just their job. During the day, they wear a coat, showing their position, but once they take the coat off, they become a loving father and husband. It's sick.

The pit that was slowly dug took forever, several women were shot today alone for collapsing. There have been several times where I've considered doing the same thing, to put myself out of the suffering. Not continue to tough this obstacle in my life out, rather die than face it full force. The hole we're digging is becoming do deep, that it requires a ladder to get out of it.

"You!" A guard shouts point towards me, his arm is shaking, one could assume he had nerve damage the shaking was so bad "Back to work, or I'll test my new riffle out on ya!" I hear an abundance of laughter in the background from other guards, laughing as if this was the funniest statement they have ever heard. I highly doubt that is the case.

I didn't realize I was leaning on my shovel until the guard pointed it out, I mumble a few swear words underneath my breath, quiet enough so no one could hear them but me, so I thought.

I keep shoveling scoop after scoop of dirt, digging the holes deep enough for dead bodies, that's what Johanna told me. I hope to God that isn't true. Johanna does what she wants, when she wants, and if she wants. If Johanna doesn't want to do something, she won't do it and no one questions why. She receives no punishments either. no food rations cut in half or extra working never listens to our leader, talking back the guards has become a daily habit for her. The only reason why the guards have not killed her is I believe because how useful she is. By far, she is the strongest women and can lift a lot of heavier stuff than anyone else could.

I lift my head up, feeling an eerie presence behind me. The shadow I'm casting seems a lot taller and a lot wider than I remember I was just a few short minutes ago. as I slowly crane my neck, I find a large, somewhat plump man standing behind me. His face is pale and snow white hair, when he smiles, his teeth are rotten yellow, I think he has a gold tooth in there as well. "Did I hear someone swear?" He asks, smiling, his teeth disgusting me out. His breath smells like rotten food. "It's a sin in the Christian Religion to swear, if you read the Bible, you would have known better young girl."

It takes everything inside of me not to back away from him, to stay in my place. To run away from here, or to collapse and just get shot. "No," I lie, I swallow hard hoping he doesn't realize the lie I just told. I flinch when he raises his gun up in the air, starting to cause a scene.

"LIAR!" He shouts, "DAMN LIAR!" He shouts again, at this point, everyone has stopped digging and looking my direction. He grabs me by my bicep muscle and drags me along with him, I wince in pain.

I pass by several women, they all give me the looks of sympathy. I try not to drop a tear. What happen to the strong and brave Katniss? Where did she go? I could really use that side of me right now to help me through all of this.

The guard drags me across camp to a side I've never seen before. The stench of human flesh becomes even stronger, I would throw up, but there is hardly anything inside of me to throw up. Other guards look at me, each having a pleasing look as if they were happy about this, they probably were. To see someone they hate so much to suffer. Although, funny thing is, they don't know me, they don't even know my name. My name to them is just A-7062. The guard leads me inside a building. The inside is even warmer than outside, there are chimneys in almost every corner releasing the heavy smoke outside into the world.

He forcefully throws me down onto the ground, "You see these bodies?" He asks, pointing his hands all over to piles of bodies, there must be thousands of them. I swallow a lump in my throat that all of these people are dead. They all had families who loved them, they all had futures ahead of them. But now they're dead, taken away because of they believed in a different religion. "I want these bodies in the crematory, you can't leave until tonight," Those are the last words before he left. The doors behind him are slammed shut.

I walk over to were some of the bodies are, very few of them look 'heavy' but not heavy as in fat, but heavy as in normal weight. Most of these bodies are emaciated, probably some not weighing more than one hundred pounds. Right now, being heavy would be an honor, something to be proud of.

The first body I lift is a female, her nude form doesn't bother me, all these bodies are nude, her ribs are protruding, if I could, I could count every bone in her body almost. I know that if I don't do something, that is what I will look like.

I drag her body into the flames, I watch the flames erupt even more once something is added to fuel itself. I throw several more bodies in before I come across something that changes my life forever. At first I'm stunned to see it, but I'm too heartbroken.

I run my hands over her face. The small frame she once had is even smaller, I can easily wrap one hand around her thigh bones. She has the biggest thigh gap I think I've ever seen. Her hair is no longer long and blonde like it used to be, her hair is now short like a guy's hair would be. The dirt brown freckles sprinkle across her cheeks and her nose. Her lips are pale, signalling she is officially dead. _My Little Duck is Dead. _My little baby sister who I was supposed to protect is now dead to the world, no one can bring her back. I was supposed to protect her, I should have gone with her to where ever she went the first night when we were all separated. I don't even notice I'm crying until I see a tear drop onto Prim's face. She still maintains the look of innocence on her face.

I carefully cradle her limp body in my arms, I can count all of her rib bones, her hip bones are protruding. I still can't believe this is Prim, I can't believe she is dead. If she's dead does that mean my parents are dead? Is Peeta dead? I can't afford to think like that.

I think back to the first time I met Prim, when Mom and Dad introduced me to her. She had fair skin and blonde hair and blue eyes, which resembled my mother's very similar traits. Mom and Dad seemed relieved the first night home with Prim when they realized she wasn't colicky like I was. Prim easily slept through the night at three months old and even at a newborn she only cried once or twice a night to be fed or changed. _  
_

I stay sitting down cradling her body for hours to come, having flashbacks of times with Prim continuing haunting my mind. And wandering to who else in my family is either alive...or dead.

* * *

That night, I wasn't sent back to my quarters to sleep, instead I was placed on train carts with hundreds of other women and teenagers as well. The silence is awkward, no one says anything, no one knows who each other are. But I guess it's better that way.

It's November, and where ever this train may be, there is snow falling all over inside of it, there is no top to the train cart. This is the time where everyone huddles together, trying to preserve as much body heat as possible.

On the left side of the train, there are piles of dead bodies, laying limp. Their bodies are nude. Once someone figures out your dead, your clothes will be robbed from you to keep someone else warm. On the right side of the train, remains the survivors. I'm not sure how cold it is. Nor do I care. I know there is snow falling.

I tuck my legs up to my chest, as I breathe slowly, I'm able to see my breath. Everyone around me has the same blank stare, we've passed by several German towns, one town even threw bread inside our carts. I hate the person who did that. I hate them with all of my heart, the food was a single slice of bread. Nothing else, we haven't eaten in two days when that bread was thrown in the cart. The women acted like vultures, killing each other for a meal, chasing each other way so they can be selfish and enjoy it for themselves. There is a twelve year old girl on this cart, her stomach rumbles loudly, although she never complains about it, she's very uncomfortable in here watching people practically kill each other over a single slice of bread.

I don't know if I believe in our God, if God was real, why would he want us to suffer like this? Why would he watch his people die without stopping it? I'm sorry for what I've done God, I don't know what I did to deserve this kind of treatment, but please forgive me. I don't know what anyone of us here deserved this, but please help us if you're up there somewhere.

* * *

**Peeta**

The cattle carts I'm forced into with about eighty or ninety other men aren't any bigger than the ones I was transported in first.

There is no top though, rain can drizzle in on us with protection from it.

I don't know anyone on this train, I don't think anyone knows anyone else either considering how quiet it is. No one has anything in common, there are several black people, Caucasians, Asians and many more races on here. Some are a lot more built, I'm not sure how by how little food we've been given. All of our ribs protrude, if we bend down someone could easily count our vertebre's.

A day passes by, and still no sign of stopping. There is no food and water provided, none at all. Something smells, we all smell. The scenery we pass is beautiful. The trees are starting to drop their leaves for fall, leaving the fallen leaves a variety of colors of red, orange, yellow, and even now and then a green leave.

When I was younger, my brothers and I would always rake up leaves as a part of our fall chores, during that time, Father always made sure Mother was out running errands or at least not home. And Father would allow us to jump into the pile as long as we promised to rerake the leaves. I smile at the memory, I probably look beyond stupid for smiling at a time during life and death.

"You thinking about your lover?" A male asks, he's one of the better fed ones. He looks as if he has not lost any muscle mass. His abs are still easy to pick out and his arm muscles are bulge without him even flexing.

I'm stunned to see him talk to me, it's the first human voice I can remember hearing in a while, "W-w-what me?" I stutter, I sound like a dumb ass.

"Yeah you," the mysterious man laughs back, his laugh is practically harmless.

"No, just a childhood memory," I reply back, trying to regain my confidence in myself.

"Ah, I see," The man holds out his hand, "My name is Finnick," I reach his hand out to shake it.

"Peeta," I nod. Finnick's head is also shaved, but it looks like brown hair, almost like the color of Katniss's hair, but a few shades lighter. His eyes are the color of coal you feed a fire.

"So do you have any siblings Peeta?" Finnick asks, emphasizing on my name.

"Yeah, two older brothers," I say nonchalantly. Finnick nods his head and adds a dorky smile. I don't ask him if he has any siblings, he doesn't seem like the type who would. He has all the characteristics of an only child, especially the arrogance one. All of us have some sort of cloth over our bodies, while Finnick chooses to go clothless around his torso area, exposing his nonexistent ribs that don't protrude like everyone else's.

* * *

Finnick and I keep up the small talk here and there, he also introduces me to another male, he's a lot older, sixties I believe. "Beetee," he introduces himself as. The Nazi's took away his glasses, because they felt like he didn't deserve them, didn't deserve to see. That disgusted me how Beetee needs glasses but is denied the right to them.

Beetee claims he isn't Jewish, but he helped a Jewish family when they were in hiding and he was caught. Instead of being shot, he was transported to several concentration camps, such as Belzec and Buna. Those were the places were he and his wife of forty three years were put through the gas chambers, Beetee was one of the ten who survived the gas chambers of the hundreds who were entered there.

Beetee has dark skin, and dark eyes. Skinny, but not anorexic looking skinny.

The days lag on, we've stopped once and that was where we recieved our food rations, even though they have been absent for several days. I break my bread into small pieces to conserve it, not knowing when the next time I'll have the chance to eat again. The soup, I slowly eat. But hunger gets the best of me, I end up eating the slice of bread.

For at least another two days, we traveled along the tracks, but luckily, we soon came to a halt. We were all unloaded from our carts, people on other carts complained about having people dying and no one removed the dead bodies, our cart was lucky, that's for sure not having anyone dying from our cart.

Ebensee

That's what the welcoming sign said, 'Ebensee'. Finnick's personality is very charismatic, he's already talking to other prisoners, trying to make friends. You can't survive on your own, you need help.

Ebensee's appearance is a lot different than Bergen-Belson's was. There are fences with barbed wire and watch towers, but the fences are not doubled. The housing looks nicer, maybe there's even a mattress for us to share.

But when I see the guards tightly lined up together, guns fully loaded, I don't know what to expect now.

Should I expect to die? Maybe. Maybe that's something I want to do. But what about Katniss? Is she dead? I wish there was some way to tell. I must be strong, for her. In hopes that she is alive and well.

The guards unlock our carts and people scramble out of there like race horses who were just released from their starting gates and fighting for a good position on the rail.

Although I'm not particularly fond Finnick right now, he seems to know what he's doing, and for my best interest, I need to stick with him and Beetee, I need to earn both of their trusts one hundred percent if I want to survive this living hell nightmare that never seems to be ending now matter how many times I pinch my self and open my eyes back up.

**I hope you enjoyed it, I hate how short these chapters are and I'm the one writing them. Would you guys want longer chapters, or shorter ones. I just feel like the longer they are, the more info they have in them which gets a little extraneous. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry this chapter took so long, but here is the next chapter. This one talks a lot about God, again, I don't mean to offend you by this story. Oh and I haven't made a disclaimer since I've began this story**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or the characters the belong to Suzanne Collins. This story also contains quotes from the book 'Night', which also isn't mine. I don't mean to offend any reader about the religion mentioned or their sexuality. **

**Enjoy the story (:**

**Peeta**

I stand upon thousands of prisoners like myself. No one looks happy to be here, who would? I've come to realize that not all of the people here are Jewish, there are several prisoners who are Gypsies, homosexuals and many other 'different' types of people. They are held captive because they're different from what The Christian Bible states. We all look the same: shaved heads and extremely malnourished. Some people's eyes are distant, almost like they're not hear, their soul is someplace else and there's a part of them barely here. We're all still alive, but we're barely breathing.

I look over at Finnick, the moonlight shines down on Finnick's golden hair, his white teeth stand out in the night time. He even looks quite handsome, not some man who is in a life or death situation right now. He doesn't seem scared, in fact, this seems like a routine for him and he has nothing to be afraid of. I only wish I could feel the same way.

The group of men all are cautiously walking farther into the camp. I carefully look around, observing my surroundings. Guards are practically shoulder to shoulder, making sure no one escapes on their watch. Across their face is with the same stern look on all of their faces. Their faces are so stern that by the looks of it, wouldn't have any problem killing off a child. I shiver at that thought, not knowing how Prim is doing. If she and Katniss was ever reunited. I wonder how Katniss is doing, if she's alive. Of course she's alive.

"WE WANT ALL OF YOU TO FIND A BUNK WITHIN THE NEXT THIRTY MINUTES, ANYONE WHO IS UNSUCCESSFUL WITH THAT SHOULD PAY THE CONSEQUENCE," _Consequence, _rolls off of his tongue practically in laughter. Once again, another guard practically playing around with our life.

I'm not sure exactly where the bunkers are, but everyone else sure does because they are walking towards them. The dirt beneath my feet squeezes in between my toes. I can only imagine what it feels like around here when it rains, the dirt becoming mud.

* * *

I find my bunk, luckily it's next to Finnick, someone I know. The bunk is made our of a panel of wood, there is no pillows or blankets. Just body heat to keep each other warm. The quarters are so tight, everyone is practically on top of each other. Little personal room for yourself, not that Bergen-Belson was much better.

I can't sleep. I lay on my back the whole night, staring up to the bunk above mine, wondering if that guy is sleeping or if he's awake wondering like I am. Or if the guy to my left is only on his side because he's trying to hide his tears and fears he may never see his family or loved ones again. Finnick, who is to my right, is snoring and mumbling something in his sleep. I wonder what he's dreaming about, if he had someone special back home. At this point, I'm not sure where Katniss and I stand. We were more than just friends. Would we have taken the next step in our relationship if we hadn't been discovered? For all I know, right now, Katniss could be dead.

At some point during the early hours of the day I fell asleep. Not some deep slumber, but a light one. At any sudden move, I would flash my eyes back open, thinking we were under some sneak attack. When the our wake up call, the trumpet blazes through the speakers. Groans fill the room, no one receiving enough sleep that night. Slowly, everyone gets up out of bed and walks in line outside the housing.

I follow the rest of the men, the ground's dirt has now turned into mud sticking to the bottoms of my feet.

Almost every where your eye looks, there is a dead body laying around waiting to decompose, or people dragging themselves around praying to get shot to be put out of misery.

* * *

In the mess hall, where we receive our morning food rations, there is none to be found. No smell of black coffee to fill the air or the smell of soup. Nothing. Is this the camp where they slowly starve us to death? I hear my stomach grumble in response. I try to keep the grumbling down to a minimum, everyone is hungry.

There are two Nazi guards standing next to a bar, almost branch like, with ropes hanging down from them. Confused, I look over to the man next to me. He too looks impossibly puzzled what's going on here. If we're all about to die.

"Now that I have all of your attention," The same Nazi Guard from last night starts to raise his voice. He's still wearing the same thing from last night, the dark blue colored uniform and combat boots laced almost halfway up his calves. His expression stern, viscous. "This man, and this young boy, we're caught stealing food last night during the time we were 'welcoming' in our new guests," He starts to show a smile on his face. The man looks strong, as if he was happy to seal the food. The young boy's cheeks were red, obviously from crying. Who could blame him? He's young. "And by the law of Germany, depending on how severe the stealing crime is, can possibly be punished by death. And for this act, they will be punished by death."

The room becomes silent, you can hear people breathing all throughout the room. Although you need help to survive, no one is helping them survive right now. No one stands up for them, fearing they will be hung next to them as well.

Two more guards appear from behind and lift the rope around their necks, as soon as all the pressure was around their necks, the old mans legs and arms starting to move around gasping for air, but no use. The little boy was stick still. I don't think he even weighed enough to be hanged. Within a few minutes, the older man was dead, his body hanging lifelessly. The boy continued to fight on strong. Ten minutes passed and he still was not dead. Fifteen minutes passed, and still no death. His breathing started to become irregular and his hands and legs slowly stopped moving and before long, there we're two lifeless bodies hanging right before my eyes.

We received our morning's food rations, the food didn't taste very good after witnessing what had just happened. What is happening to humanity?

Didn't we in humanity decide if we were going to execute someone it would be through a humanly way, not decapitating but by electric chair?

* * *

**Katniss**

It's been about four days on the train, no food nor water. The only type of liquid there is is the snow falling and luckily there has been a lot of snow. There's this one teenage girl in particular that took my interest. She looks about Prim's age, maybe even a little younger. She has shoulder length brown curly hair, piercing brown eyes and olive colored skin$. The cloths she had on didn't fit her, they were far too big and even then, it still is no where near is keeping you warm enough to survive. She sat in the corner, avoiding everyone all together. I wonder what had happened to her family. If they were just on another cart, if they had been separated. Or maybe even the worse.

I scoot my way over to her. Her head is tucked into her knees that are pulled up to her chest. "Hey," I saw. It's barely audible, just loud enough so she could hear it.

She lifts her head up, confused on who is talking to her. The closer up I am to her face, the younger she looks. "Hey," she whispers back to me, her voice slightly cracking.

"What's you're name?" I ask her, trying to sound somewhat friendly and not creepy for randomly approaching her.

"Rue," She says and smiles, "What's yours?"

I smile at her, "Katniss,"

She nods her head without saying anything. I take a comfortable seat next to her. "How old are you?" She asks after a few silent moments.

"I'm 15. And how old are you?" I ask her.

"10." She says back to me. I wonder how the Nazi's didn't take her away the first time she was entered into a concentration camp like Prim did. Prim was snatched up in an instant and immediately separated from the rest of her family.

"Why aren't you with your parents?" I ask her with a calming presence in my tone knowing this may be a sensitive subject.

She doesn't respond at first, instead a tear rolls down her face. "We were separated. My three younger sisters were taken to the gas chambers and I have no clue what happened to my mom. But I haven't seen her in a few months," I don't know how to respond, what to say. She's only ten and has no clue where her mom is at, or that she knows that her sisters have been killed by the deadly gas chambers like Prim was. I wrap her frail, petite body in my arms.

"I lost my sister to the gas chambers as well, she was 11. I have no clue where my mom is or my dad. Or my best friend. I don't know if he's alive or not either." I mention to her, hoping to add some comfort knowing we both are going through tough times.

She doesn't verbally reply, instead she hugs my body with her arms.

* * *

I begin to lose count how many days we've been on this train. Still the only water we have is the snow that's fallen into the cattle cart. The train stops every so often to unload the dead bodies.

Sometimes, passing through the towns of whatever country we're in, people sometimes throw bread into the carts. The passengers in the cart with us fight to the death to get a piece of that bread. I've only been successful once for the a slice of bread. And I shared that with Rue, knowing how hungry her tiny body.

The alive count starts to dwindle and it isn't long before all the remaining survivors are all huddled in a corner struggling for warmth by body heat. The little clothes we have been given are like rags and provide little to none heat. It's almost as if the temperature gets colder, the more our clothes start to dwindle down. The clothes Rue has on clearly shows her ribs, it's almost as if you could count out loud one by one every single bone in her body. She's emaciated. The look in her eyes is still there. The look that she hopes there is still good in the world. I wish I could believe there is good in the world. Like God. If our Jewish God was real, why would he be allowing us to suffer like this? Why would he be killing off all these innocent people?

I'm not sure what I believe in anymore. God or no God, I know if I keep surviving like this, I will be dead soon. I can't handle this anymore.

It's probably a week and a half since I boarded the train that we finally arrived at our destination. I'm not sure where it is, what camp it is. This one doesn't state the name of the camp. I pray to the so-called God of ours that this isn't a working labor camp. Somewhere, deep down, I must still believe in God if I'm praying to him for our safety.

The camp has at least a foot of snow covering the grounds, there are tons of bunkers scattered around the whole premises, as far as the eye can see. The camp is surrounded not by barbed wire, but razor wire. Barbed wire just pricks you if you try to escape, razor wire tears your flesh into pieces. Sometimes you'll even bleed to death before people realize you're missing.

Wherever I am now, this must be the ultimate punishment for something I did wrong. Was it going into hiding wrong? No, I was protecting myself. Was almost dying during the labor camp, this was the punishment for something I've done. I feel sick to my stomach trying to figure out what I did wrong.

* * *

When we arrived, I made sure Rue stayed close to my side, she clutched my hand with her chilly, bony ones. No guards are there to greet us nor Nazi leaders. Instead, we're greeted by this women. She has shoulder length gray hair, her eyes are gray too. Nothing about her seems very attracting. Not one strand of hair is out of it's assigned place. Her whole head is filled with sleek and straight gray hair. She doesn't look too old, but her skin is very wrinkly like she's been in the sun too much in her life. Her face is covered in heavily powdered makeup to try and cover up the wrinkles but failed to do so.

"My name is Alma Coin, and I am your cabin leader," She makes a statement, not allowing anyone to ask questions about her or what she is going being our leader.

Alma doesn't say anything, but the remaining groups from the cattle carts follow her to where we assume our cabins will be. I make sure to hold tightly onto Rue in fear I could possibly lose her like I lost my sister. I can't fail both of them.

**I know these chapters are short, but I feel as if it's easier for me to write when they're shorter and they wont' drag on. ANyways please review lovelies. Oh I got the Catching Fire dvd today, I've already watched it twice and watched some of the behind the scenes. And only 13 days until I see Divergent. Can't wait. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry, I don't think I made this very clear, but Rue was not the one who got hang at Peeta's camp. Peeta and Katniss are separated by gender in the camps. But here is the next chapter :)**

**Katniss**

It was soon after we arrived at the next Camp that we were shown where we were going to sleep. "There are a lot of you and only a few extra bunks, so some are going to be sleeping on the floor," Coin says, she looks down at her perfectly trimmed nails, they aren't polished, but they are long and strait across and taken well care of. Compared to mine, jagged across the edges, trimmed down to the nub and almost yellow. She doesn't take any interest in us. "You better go claim a bunk, I've heard we should be getting more prisoners soon, trains will be arriving very shortly." It's practically every man for himself when trying to find an empty bunk, after a while of searching, I've managed to find one for Rue and I to share, it's probably the smallest compared to the rest, but at least there will be something between our bodies and the cold dirt and snow during the night.

The first night, I find it better sleeping with someone else, with a thin piece of cloth posing for a blanket and no pillow, our shared body heat makes it a little warmer under the blanket. Coin doesn't let us get away with anything, as soon as wake up call starts, she makes sure we're up right away and if we're not, we don't get our ration of food that day, I had to learn the hard way. Sharing food, water, and our black coffee is strictly forbidden, if we're caught sharing we're sent away to the Nazi's where they decide our fate. If she's trying to make our life an even more living hell, it's working. Some days, I don't even see the value in living.

Every other few days, we're permitted to take a short two minute long, ice cold, shower. With snow frequently showing up in the mornings, very few prisoners decide on taking a shower knowing that hypothermia is on the radar to develop with no towel to dry the water off with.

With news of a disease outbreak throughout the Concentration Camps have killed millions we have been told. My first thought goes out to Peeta, wondering if he's okay. I'm concerned for my parents, if they're okay, Peeta's parents, knowing Peeta loves them and even drunken old Haymitch. I pray that each one is okay and well. I can't imagine life without Peeta or my family. I've already lost and failed Prim, I can't imagine what life would be like without all of them. Would life even be worth living then?

We're told to immediately alert either Coin or a Nazi officer to remove the sick person away from everyone is healthy. They claim this arrangement is supposed to keep us 'safe' and get the contaminated ones away, but we all know they will kill immediately whoever is ill.

The first person to fall ill is a 17 year old girl, with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a freckled face, she looks like Prim would have if she would have made it of that age. The first few days, she just ran a high fever and was fatigued. No one thought anything of it, but once she developed a cough and frequent muscle pains we knew she had contracted the disease we were warned about. No one told Coin or the Nazi officers. We watched her suffer daily, I was by her side when she took her last breath one week after she developed her fever.

No one was sure how she contracted the disease we were warned about, it just sprung on suddenly. In secret we tried to give her more of our water because she claimed her insides were on fire.

It wasn't long before several people started to fall ill out of the blue, one day they would be fine and then the next be ill and within a week, they would be dead. I made sure to keep my distance, I kept my protective eye over Rue as well. Making sure she didn't go anywhere near someone who I thought was infected with the mysterious disease. No one was sure how it spread, if it was an air-born disease or if spread through contact or complete at random, I can't and won't fail Rue, like I failed my sister. She can't die, especially at her age.

It was a few weeks after people started contracting diseases, in our sleeping area, over forty people have died and over three hundred alone in this single camp. The hopes that my family and Peeta is still alive is narrow. I'm not even sure where Peeta is, what camp he is at or if he is even alive at all. I cringe at that thought. Even though people have been dying, our work has not been cut. Everyday for hours at a time, we would work outside, fixing old buildings or cleaning them. Sometimes we would dig holes all day for an unknown reason.

I noticed Rue started to fall behind, whenever I asked her what was wrong, she just replied that she was tired or hungry. We were all tired and hungry though. There has to be more to it. Her eyes start to bag more than they used to, sometimes over her arm or the next day her leg, she'll have a large red bump, rash like.

Sometimes during the night, I can feel Rue randomly get the chills and then go away minutes later.

One the way to the mess hall to collect our breakfast ration, I pull her aside. "Rue, what is really wrong?" I ask her, I place my hands on her shoulders and kneel down so we are both face to face. Her face is full of unspoken emotion, she looks afraid. We're all afraid. But there is a different type of afraid that is plastered all over her face that she hasn't told anyone about.

"I think I have the disease they we're talking about." She confesses, the fear in her eyes is glistening as she tries to hold in her tears. I try to remember the little girl I met on the train ride, the one that was all alone and happy to have a friend. "I don't want to die. Even though this place is hell, I don't want to die here."

I pull her into a hug, and that is when I realize I'm crying too. I feel her tears slip down my clothes. Her tears are warm despite the cold temperatures.

"I won't let you die." I tell her, "I'll make sure you somehow get you extra food rations." I'm not sure how I'll get her extra food rations, I'll end up giving her some of mine, but she needs more food. I can at least give her hope and slowly fulfill it.

That night, when everyone is asleep, I cautiously walk out of our sleeping layers. I watch Rue's breathing, how irregular it is and how painful it looks for her. "I promise you I'll find food." I tell her. Promise her.

Throughout the sleeping layers, people are coughing. Some are coughing so hard, they probably have at one point thrown up blood along with the coughing. If I get caught, I'll be killed on the spot. But this must get down.

I pass by Coin's bed, she has a blanket and a pillow. Something that the rest of us aren't permitted to have.

Once outside, the moon shines bright like the sun. Lighting up the sky. I don't know where to start for food. The mess hall is for sure guarded with twenty four hour security for people like me searching for food.

I start by the boundaries of the camp, the razor wire covering the fences. If you get a body part stuck there, you'll most likely bleed to death if you don't get help right away.

I keep walking around the premises trying to think of another place for food. That's when I hear it.

"Katniss," A voice whispers, it's a familiar voice, a voice I haven't heard in a while. A young voice that still have life and hope in it. I look around and find nothing and keep walking. "Katniss, over hear." The voice says with more desperation in the voice. "I'm by the fence."

I walk carefully from where I believe the voice is coming from. I know with the slightest doubt in my head that this could be a trap and a lead up to my death for sneaking out.

That is when I see a familiar face of an old friend. She looks older, maybe a year has passed since I have last seen her, maybe a little less. I've lost track of time. "Madge, is that you?" I ask, doubt filling my voice, "What are you doing here?"

"It is me Katniss, I promise I won't hurt you." I walk even closer to the fence, there is a tiny hole, just big enough for a face.

"Why are you hear?" I ask, I can't believe she is hear right now. I never thought I would see Madge again.

"My mom volunteered to help the German Nazi's for extra money, she needed me to come with her because I could help too." She explains.

"Oh," Is all I can say. She's helping people who are basically killing me in a slow painful way.

"You look so hungry. Where is Prim?"

My face goes blank, turns white as a sheet, "Prim was killed. I have no clue where anyone is. I have no clue if my parents are alive or Peeta. I miss Peeta so much. Have you heard anything of him?"

"I talked to some people at another camp my mom was stationed at, they said they knew of a 'Peeta Mellark', but he was transported to a labor camp and haven't heard of him since."

God, I know I have lost a lot of faith in you recently, but please of Peeta and our families be safe and even Haymitch.

"I'm so hungry Madge, this girl is so sick I've been trying to give her some of my rations but we barely get any food as it is."

"Come back tomorrow. Same time and same place. I'll try and scrape of some extra food for you, I promise." She says, we both part our ways as the sun slowly starts to make an appearance in the sky. Wake up call is very soon.

That night, I meet Madge in the same place at the fence, waiting patiently for the promised food.

I wait and wait patiently for Madge.

"Sorry I'm late," She apologizes and digs around in her warm jacket shielding her from the cold. "It's not much, I'm sorry. But I also got you some extra socks for your feet. If your feet are warm, you'll be a lot warmer."

"Thank you." I say and start to cry for her acts of kindness. "Can you meet me here again tomorrow night? It's nice talking to you."

"Yeah, same time and same place."

* * *

**Peeta **

Everyone's heads are hung low, after whitnissing the hanging yesterday of the poor young man, no one said much. The life of the camp was dead. Everyone's ribs slowly stuck out more and more each day. Some people started to develope a thigh gap because of the malnutrition. The hair growing on our legs and arms slowly started to become more coarse and stopped growing easily as well as falling out easily.

No one looked human anymore.

With the news of a disease outbreak through most of the Concentraion Camp sent a pit to my stomach, a pit digging so deep it would reach across the Atlantic Ocean and into the United States. The chills sent down my spine thinking about Katniss and weather she is alive or dead. My family, my brothers, they have to be alive. i can't imagine life without them. They are my life.

We said the death prayer to the young boy who was hung for him to rest in piece.

Yom Kippur is today. Yom Kippur is they day we fast as Jews. We have been given the choice of fasting or we want to eat.

When I get in line in the Mess Hall to receive my food rations on Yom Kippur, I get stars of dirty looks, looks that could kill. Although their eyes are mad at me for defying a Jewish Holiday, they can't blame me. We all are practically walking corpse. I look at other men, can count each and every rib, the way their eyes sag and black bags underneath them from lack of sleep, we all look the same.

Is there really a God out there? Are the Germans' right? About the Jewish religion that is? Is Christianity the best religion to praise? I'm not sure, but I'm beginning to believe the Jewish religion isn't the one to practice.


End file.
